Belt supported hammer holder

ABSTRACT

A hammer holder with means of support to a worker&#39;s belt includes a ring in a generally horizontal orientation to hold a hammer handle. A movable gate bridges a gap in the ring to permit passage of the hammer handle between two opposed ends of the ring opposite the support. The gate is supported to a fixed end of the gap to rotate inwardly to permit the passage of the handle into the enclosure. A spring between the fixed end and the movable gate member urges the gate outward to closed position defined by stop means. Alternatively, the gate may be two gate members supported by the ring at opposite ends of the bridge gap, each with its own spring means urging the gate outwardly and opposed stops on each supporting ring end and supported gate member to hold each gate in closed gate position against spring pressure.

The present invention relates to a hammer holder designed to be attachable to the clothing of a worker. The hammer holder has movable parts so arranged that the hammer handle can be inserted laterally into a holder ring through a movable gate constituting part of the holder ring without danger of snagging clothing or scratching the hand of the worker. This lateral insertion not only provides quicker insertion, but eliminates the need to look down to find the insertion point as needed with traditional fixed hammer holders. This “quick” lateral insertion provides an added degree of safety by allowing the worker to quickly store the hammer, thereby freeing his hands quickly and allowing the worker to keep looking at his current task. This is especially important at elevated heights where the worker's need for additional concentration is greater.

More specifically, the present invention concerns the configuration of the hammer holder permitting the hammer to be laterally inserted into the holder ring without the moving parts exposing sharp angular edges which could cause damage to a hand or clothing or sufficient spaces between the relatively movable parts which might catch clothing or pinch the hand.

In the prior art various types of holder for hammers and other tools have parts for easy attachment to the clothing of the worker. For example, some holders provides a clip which slips over a belt or waistband. Others provide slots in a support portion through which a belt may pass. Very often the tool support has been composed of leather or other material supporting metal or rigid plastic pieces, which frequently had rough shapes or sharp edges and ends that provided or included structural discontinuities that could snag, cut or tear clothing or the hand or arm of the worker. Connections or joints of pieces of the supporting structure have often been responsible for such problems, particularly pieces allowing movement of pieces relative to one another.

Prior art hammer holders including those which permit lateral insertion of the hammer handle are known. However, the holder in the prior art has movable parts which in moving expose ends having square or even jagged edges. Even when closed, the joints may have gaps between the relatively movable parts which allow exposure of the close-spaced surfaces and possibly of internal structure, such as springs, and particularly the ends of those springs.

The present invention is intended to avoid such potentially hazardous structure in a hammer holder, while at the same time providing a convenient, easily usable and highly reliable holder.

The present invention provides structure in which the movable pieces are kept close together at adjacent surfaces and provide smooth, non-cutting and non-catching surfaces exposed to the worker and his clothing in all positions of the movable parts. Furthermore, the joints are not sufficiently open to allow clothing to be pinched between the movable pieces or snagged on rough or internal pieces such as springs.

Broadly, this invention provides a hammer holder for support on a belt, waist band or similar support associated with clothing which includes a support backing or frame with means thereon permitting the backing to be connected to clothing. A ring composed of essentially rigid materials is attached to the backing such that the ring extends away from the backing. The ring extends generally in a direction having a major horizontal component when the backing is connected to the clothing in a predetermined orientation and provides an enclosure to encircle a hammer handle. The ring opening is large enough to contain the handle of a hammer and too small to allow the head of the hammer to pass through the ring. Continuity of the ring is interrupted by a gap which is closed at at least one movable gate which is movable inwardly into the ring to allow the handle to pass. The at least one gate is rotatably supported on a fixed segment of the ring and has stop means on a fixed portion of the ring preventing outward movement by the gate beyond a position to define ring enclosure. Spring means is provided between the fixed segment and the gate. The spring urges the gate outward until a stop on the gate rests against a stop on the fixed ring segment adjacent the point of rotation near the supported end of the gate. The stops may alternatively be at the opposite free end of the gap opposed to a stop on the free end of the movable gate in position to make contact as the gate closes.

If a double gate arrangement is employed, the gates extend toward each other from the respective ends of the ring rotatably supporting them at opposite ends of the ring gap. With two gates, unless their free ends have stops making contact with one another. The stops holding one of the respective gates in closed position against the urging of their respective springs may conveniently be of the type first described above for the single gate. If the other gate depends on stops at the gate overlap, the gate with the first type of stops must close first, so that the inside gate will stop against the already stopped outside gate engaging their opposed slopes.

In either construction the supporting unitary ring member must be rigid. The ring may be fixed to or bonded on the backing. Alternatively the backing may itself be a rigid part of the ring supporting the separate ring segments defining the gap. It is even possible to employ a single plastic molded or bent or formed metal piece provided with integral backing and supporting and clothing attaching parts. At least one movable gate member substantially closes the gap between the two opposed free ends of the fixed ring segments extending away from the backing. The ends of the gap must be sufficiently separated from one another and the gate of size and configuration to permit the passage of a hammer handle of some predetermined maximum size through the gap into the ring and past the gate into a position to permit the gate to return to closed position. Spring means is provided between the at least one movable member and its supporting fixed segment to urge it outward from a position within the ring toward one closing the ring. Stop means is provided on the ring and gate to stop each movable member against urging of the spring means into position to essentially bridge the gap and close the ring. Any spring means provided is enclosed or covered and has its ends arranged to keep from protruding and providing an exposed ring snag. Any joint permitting movement are smoothed and rounded to prevent snagging or drawing clothing into the joint and from scratching the worker as will be discussed hereafter.

More specifically the present invention relates to a hammer holder for support on a belt, waist band or other clothing. A support backing includes means of attaching the backing to the clothing of a hammer user. A ring composed of rigid materials is attached to or part of the backing such that the ring extends away from the backing. The ring provides an enclosure having a major horizontal component of orientation when the backing is connected to the clothing in predetermined orientation (to hold a hammer handle). The ring is large enough to encircle the handle of a hammer to be supported and too small to allow the head of the hammer to pass through the ring. Instead it supports the hammer by allowing the head to rest on the ring against the force of gravity. The ring has at least one movable gate member bridging a gap in the ring away from the backing between two opposed ends of fixed ring segments. The opposed ends are sufficiently separated from one another to permit passage of the hammer handle through the gap into the ring. Each gate is rotatably supported to a fixed end to allow the gate to rotate inwardly so as to permit the passage of the hammer handle into the enclosure. Spring means between the fixed end and the movable gate urges the gate into stop means. The stop means prevent the at least one gate from moving outwardly beyond closed ring position so that the ring, including the gate, will encircle the handle. Once the handle has been moved into the ring, the gate will close and not permit lateral withdrawal of the handle through the gap closed by the at least one movable member. The at least one gate in some embodiments may be a single movable gate member which bridges the gap. In other embodiments, the gate may be a pair of movable gate members, respectively supported at the opposed ends of the ring defining the gap, and together providing the gate which closes the gap.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention references made is made to the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view from the front of a single gate embodiment of the hammer holder of the present invention with the gate closed showing a supported hammer in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a plan view from above the same structure with the gate closed and showing the hammer in phantom along side the holder for dimensional comparison;

FIG. 3 is a plan view from above of the same structure with the gate opened and the hammer in phantom in sequential positions as its handle moves through the gate;

FIG. 4 is a detailed enlargement of a portion of the structure shown in section taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 a is a similar partial sectional view of the same structure with its gate moved to the open position of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view similar to that of FIG. 1 but having a pair of opposed shorter gates in closed position;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the structure of FIG. 5, but shown from above similar to FIG. 2 wherein the gates are shown in closed position, having a phantom representation of hammer head position as being moved to be inserted into the hammer holder;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the gates open as the handle of the hammer, shown in phantom, is moved through them;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial sectional view similar to FIG. 4 taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged partial view of the gate and supporting structure encircled in FIG. 7 by dot and dashed lines;

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view similar to FIGS. 1 and 5 but showing a third embodiment of the invention with the supported hammer in phantom in the holder;

FIG. 11 is a plan view from above similar to FIGS. 2 and 6, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 showing the hammer in phantom about to be moved into the closed gate;

FIG. 12 is a plan view similar to FIG. 11 but showing the phantom hammer with its handle moved into and deflecting the gate inwardly; and

FIG. 13 is a plan view similar to FIGS. 11 and 12 showing the phantom hammer handle inside the ring closure after the handle has passed through the gate which has closed to its rest position shown in FIG. 11.

SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 a of the drawings of the hammer holder, generally designated 10, configured for support on a belt. Support is provided by a support backing 12 made of leather or other durable, preferably non-foldable but slightly bendable, material. In this case, the backing is of generally rectangular shape with rounded corners and is provided with a pair of parallel vertical slots 14 of a size to accommodate the belt a worker wears around his waist. However, the support backing may be made of a variety of material of many sizes and shapes and differing means of attachment to the worker's clothing.

Attached to the backing is a closed loop structure, or ring, generally designated 20, herein referred to as a “ring”. The ring in this embodiment comprises an essentially rigid fixed ring member 22, which in this instance is bent and/or forged from metallic rod, preferably of a tool steel. The back portion 22 a of the fixed ring member 22 is itself bent but generally in a plane which lies generally parallel to the plane the backing 12. Back portion 22 a is securely fixed to the support backing 12 by rivets 24. The general plane of the rest of the ring member including 22 support arms 22 b and 22 c of the ring 22 are bent at approximately right angles to backing 12 and back portion 22 a of the ring.

Because the back portion 22 a and the support backing 12, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, are at essentially right angles to hammer support arms 22 b, when the support backing is placed on the belt of the wearer oriented generally vertically from that belt, the hammer support arms 22 b and 22 c will tend to be supported generally horizontally, or a position having a major horizontal component, so as to facilitate holding the hammer once inserted. In the embodiment shown, the ends of fixed member portions 22 b are further bent toward one another to initiate closure of the ring by rod ends 26 a and 26 b. The overall shape of the bent rod 22 is seen to be a letter “C” looking down in the plan view of FIGS. 2 and 3. The extreme ends 26 a and 26 b of the rod 22 thus define a gap through which the handle of a hammer, may pass laterally as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this embodiment, the ends are each flattened as shown in FIG. 1, rounded and smoothed and shaped into parallel horizontal tongues directed generally toward one another from each side of the gap. Each end 26 a and 26 b, respectively, has such a generally horizontal tongue 27 a and 27 b respectively, having flat parallel surfaces. Spanning the gap is a gate 30 which, in this embodiment, is a single rotatable piece. The ends of the gate are each rounded and smoothed and provided with parallel generally horizontal slots or grooves 30 a and 30 b, respectively. Groove 30 a snugly but freely accommodates tongue 27 a of the gate and groove 30 b snugly accommodates tongue 27 b. Tongue 27 a is shaped, as will be discussed below. The pin 32 is put in place through three layers, and fixed to at least one layer, by press fit, welding or otherwise, so that the gate 30 is left free to rotate about pin 32 relative to the tongue 27 a on end 26 a of the ring. The pin 32, oriented normal to the opposed parallel faces of the tongue and groove faces, will hold the gate 30 generally in the same plane as the hammer support members 22 b and 22 c, as well as end pieces 26 a and 26 b, as it rotates. The gate 30 is provided with a bend generally keeping all parts of the gate in the general plane of the ring pieces 22 b and 22 c. The bend in gate allows the handle of the hammer H to be inserted, as shown particularly in FIG. 3 in the generally vertical orientation shown in FIG. 1 through the gate. Once inside the loop, the handle of the hammer H is positioned to allow the gate 30 to return under the urging of spring 34 as shown in FIG. 4 a to closed position of FIGS. 2 and 4 without being blocked by the handle.

A generally flat horizontally extending spring 34 has its flat faces vertically oriented (as seen in FIGS. 4 and 4 a) has the ends of its horizontally extending spring respectively, engaged in groove 52 in tongue 26 and in slot 30 c internally generally extending along length along gate 30. The end of the leaf spring is slidably accommodated within bore 30 c in the end 30 a of gate 30 so as to allow the slidable end to slide and the spring to flex and bend to store energy as the gate moves inwardly. The end of the spring 34 accommodated within the slot 30 c extending beyond grooved end 30 a of the gate is thereby given room and left free to slide from a position as shown in FIG. 4 when the gate is closed to the flexed, energy storing position FIG. 4 a (FIG. 4 a similarly to the flexed position shown in FIG. 8) when the gate is open. As the gate is moved inwardly by the hammer handle to the position of FIG. 3, the spring 34 is flexed and stressed so that it provides a restoring force to move the gate back into closed position shown in FIG. 2. The gate 30 extends across the gap in ring 22 and overlaps and receives the tongue 27 b at the end 26 b of hammer supporting arm 22 c. The free end 30 b of the gate 30 also provides a groove or slot across which a pin 36 is fixed normal to the opposed faces of the groove to provide a stop. Pin stop 36 is arranged to be engaged by a hook 38 in the tongue end 26 b of hammer supported arm 22 c. The tongue 26 b is oriented and dimensional to be received within the groove. Engagement of pin stop 36 with hook 38 on the inner edge of tongue 30 b determines the closed position of gate 30 under the urging of spring 34 as shown in FIG. 2.

In operation the hammer handle is brought into contact with the gate 30 in the closed position of FIG. 2. As the handle moves against the gate as shown in FIG. 3, it opens the gate inwardly and allows the handle to enter the ring loop and be moved back into a corner of the ring as shown in successive positions of the hammer handle in phantom. The gate will then clear the handle, allowing it to close back to the position of FIG. 2. Once within the ring the hammer can be released by the worker and its head 40 will drop into a position resting across the hammer support arms 22 b and 22 c of the ring, held in place by the force of gravity.

One of the features of the present invention is that no sharp edges, points or snags are exposed by the ring structure and gate to the user. The ring itself is rounded where it can be but its ends 26 a and 26 b must be flattened into parallel faces to form tongues. The tongue and groove portions are preferably aligned when closed and preferably together present a rounded cross section. The areas of the flattened portions exposed at any time are minimized, arranged to cover each other as much as possible and the tongue and groove connections formed thereby present minimum protrusions from outside the ring. Wherever possible the edges and corners of tongue and groove structures are rounded. The effort to provide an overall rounded surface and reasonably close tolerances in the tongue and groove fit to minimize any chance of catching clothing in gaps between the structures. This embodiment keeps the leaf spring, and particularly its ends, within the supporting grooves. Other embodiments might employ a coil spring or other spring device, and, where this is done, the spring is arranged such that the spring is exposed as little as possible and so that the ends of the spring are not protruding to provide snags to catch clothing or scratch the skin of the user.

Because the structures of FIGS. 5-9 are to a large extent similar to FIGS. 1-4 a, it is not necessary to describe again parts of the structures which are truly similar. Similar parts have been given numbers to correspond to the number designators in FIGS. 1-4 a with the addition of a 1 in its 100's digits position. Thus, the support structure 12 becomes support structure 112. The one piece ring structure 20 becomes ring 120, etc.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9 there are two gate members 130 a and 130 b supported from end pieces 126 a, 126 b, by pins 132 and 136, respectively. The gates 130 a and 130 b are each shorter than gate 30 and each may be straight instead of being bent as gate 30 is. However, structurally they are very much alike and gate 130 a and 130 b are merely mirror images of one another in their construction. As shown in FIG. 7, the hammer handle (shown in dashed lines) moves against both gate members 130 a and 130 b, simultaneously pushing them both in so that the hammer handle can pass through the gap and directly to the center of the back of the ring out of reach of the gates 130 a and 130 b as they close back to rest position. The gates are identical minor images of each other and both have similar grooves through which pins 132 extend and are affixed. Neither pin provides a stop and each gate member 130 a and 130 b similarly pivotally supported by the tongue ends of the ring ends 126 a and 126 b respectively. The free ends of each gate is round or domed preferably, and each makes no contact with the other end.

It will also be observed from the drawings, FIGS. 8 and 9, in particular, that each gate 130 a and 130 b has a support groove and slot and hidden leaf spring configuration (similar to that of FIGS. 4 and 4 a). However, because neither gate abuts the other, or the opposite support 127 a or 127 b, a different form of stop is provided at the supported end of each gate member. Shoulder 154, adjacent tongue 157 on end 126 a of the ring is opposed by a flat abutting end surface 156 is provided for each gate, as best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. As the gate 130 rotates back to closed gate position surface 156 is rotated at the closed position to abut shoulder 154 at which point further outward movement is blocked. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9 these are the only stops which limit outward movements when the flat opposed surface 154 and 156 of the gates abut to maintain them in the normally closed position of FIGS. 6 and 8. Again, the sharp edges are minimized and at least the ends of springs are covered to prevent snags and scratches.

FIGS. 10-13 show still another embodiment of the hammer holder which is more like the FIG. 1 version than the FIG. 5 version because it has a single gate 230 element. However, in this case, the gate element 230 is a spring. Because the structure is so similar to FIG. 1, corresponding elements have been given corresponding numbers to those used in FIG. 1 but with the addition of a hundreds digit of “2” to make all of the elements of designators in a two hundred series. Thus the closed loop or “ring” structure 220 extends generally horizontally away from the backing 212 when it is worn on the belt, for example. However, the gate 230 spanning the gap between ends 226 a and 226 b is a different structure. It is indeed a gate which normally closes the gap but in this case the spring and gate structure are combined so that the gate itself is a spring. As can be seen in the action sequence of FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 the gate is designed to yield under pressure of the hammer handle 228 and permit the hammer handle to be moved laterally inward into the ring or closed loop 220. The gate 230 is a spring having one end fixed, preferably in a slot in the end 226 of hammer support arm 222 b, and is made sufficiently flexible to bend inwardly into the loop under the pressure of the hammer handle being moved against it. The progression of movement inward from the positions of FIG. 11 to FIG. 12 and then FIG. 13 gradually completely opens the gate by deflection of the flexible spring. Then as the hammer handle 228 is moved into the ring away from the end of the spring in FIG. 8 d and across to the backing in FIG. 8 e, the spring is able to clear the handle and its restoring force takes it back to closed position against the stop provided as a shoulder 246 at the free end 226 b of support arm 222 c at the fixed portion of the ring. The shoulder 246 tends to prevent any tendency of the gate to move or be moved out beyond the initial gate closing position of FIG. 8. Thus the hammer is retrieved from the loop by pulling it and its handle 228 upward and out of the loop 220 when needed.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is capable of a great many embodiments. For example, other shapes and forms of the ring are possible. It is possible to modify the attachment portion 22 a to itself serve as the support backing by bending an elongated rod member so that portion 22 a is much modified. For example, an elongated U-shaped portion in place of attachment portion 22 a bent at the open end of the U relative to hammer support arms 22 b to a very long “U” shaped section extending vertically upward from the horizontal position of the support arms 22 b. The upper end of the hair pin loop structure may then be bent back on itself to form another inverted U providing close spaced generally parallel opposed members. A clip structure is thereby formed and, by selection of an appropriate alloy, provided with enough resilience or spring properties to tend to engage a belt or the top edge of the wearers pants on opposite sides and hold itself in place by its inherent spring force and/or the closed end of the U at its top of the pants or over a belt. Many variations of such an integral support-backing clip are known in the art for other purposes.

In fact, it is possible to construct a one piece cast or molded support and ring structure, even including an integral movable gate to bridge across the gap. Conceivably such a structure could have an overlapping gate and stop molded integrally with the backing and loop. In such case the gate could be made thinner to provide needed flexibility to allow it to be forced past the stop initially but strongly resist such passage in normal use. It would avoid the need of a separate gated end and avoid altogether a pivot pin as well as a metal spring. It could be molded of polyvinylcholoride (PVC) or other moldable resins with suitable resiliency properties.

A hybrid of plastic and metal could also be formed with a molded support and ring structure, but with a metallic pin and spring. Either a metal or a molded resinous gate with built-in stops for the gate could also be a substituted using techniques familiar to those skilled in the art of molding or otherwise forming resinous materials into useful articles.

Other variations in structure within the scope of the claims will occur to those skilled in the art. All such variations within the scope of the attached claims are given to their broadest permissible interpretation intended within the scope and spirit of the present invention. 

1. A hammer holder supported on a belt, waist band or other clothing comprising: a support backing including means of attaching the backing to the clothing of a hammer user, a ring composed of rigid materials, with the possible exception of a movable gate, and integrated with the support backing and so oriented relative thereto that the ring extends away from the backing and provides support for the hammer head and enclosure for the hammer handle adapted to assume a position having a major generally horizontal component when the backing is connected to clothing in predetermined orientation to hold a hammer handle, said ring being large enough to contain the handle of a hammer to be supported and too small to allow the head of the hammer to pass through, instead supporting the hammer head against the force of gravity, said ring having at least one movable gate member bridging a gap in the ring spaced away from the backing between two opposed ends of the ring at the gap segments sufficiently separated from one another to permit passage of the hammer handle past the at least one movable gate member into the ring, each gate member being movably supported to one of the opposed ends and so oriented as to allow the movable gate member to move inwardly to permit the passage of the hammer handle into the enclosure, and spring means between a supporting end of the ring and a gate member urging a stop on the movable gate member into stop means on at least one fixed end to define a closed ring position and preventing the at least one gate from moving outwardly beyond closed ring position to contain the handle once the handle has been moved into the ring and not permit its withdrawal through the gap closed by the at least one movable member.
 2. The hammer holder of claim 1 in which the at least one movable gate member is relatively rigid and each gate member is rotatably supported from one of the open fixed ends of the ring and has spring means between the fixed end and movable gate means which urges the gate stop means on the gate member into a stop on a fixed end which prevents further outward gate movement and therefore prevents lateral removal of the hammer handle from the ring.
 3. The hammer holder of claim 1 in which there is a single gate member which bridges the gap.
 4. The hammer holder of claim 3 in which the single gate member is essentially rigid and rotatably supported at one end to one end of the ring to which it is connected by means including a spring urging it outward from the ring and the unsupported end of the movable gate means provides a stop which overlaps the other end of the ring and engages stop means of the ring which prevents the gate means from moving further outward under urging of the spring.
 5. The hammer holder of claim 1 in which there are a pair of movable gate members, each respectively rotatably supported at the respective opposed ends of the ring which form the gap, each movable gate member is engaged by its own spring which spring is also engaged with its supporting end to urge the movable member outwardly, and a stop surface on each gate member being urged against a stop on the supporting ring member, each of which stops normally maintains its respective movable gate member in position effectively to close the ring to further the outward movement, but allows the movable gate member to yield to pressure from a hammer handle to move the gate inwardly into the ring.
 6. The hammer holder of claim 3 in which the gate itself is at least made of partially flexible resilient material which provides the spring means between the at least one of the open fixed ends of the ring and the gate means which supports at least one gate means.
 7. The hammer holder of claim 6 in which the gate means itself is a resilient leaf spring attached at one end to one of the open ends of the ring and so that the other end of the spring contacts or has a rest position opposed to the other fixed end of the ring, which either end acts as a stop to limit the spring gates further outward movement in response to lateral outward movement of a hammer handle.
 8. A hammer holder for support on a belt, waist band or other clothing comprising, a support backing, including means of attaching the backing to the clothing of a hammer user, the support backing being composed of material sufficiently stiff to permit attachment and support in a fixed position relative to the essentially rigid hammer holding structure a pair of rigid hammer holding arms composed of rigid materials attached to the support backing so oriented that the arms extend away from the backing and of sufficient length extending away from the support backing to permit enclosure of a hammer handle when its head is supported on the holding arms, gate structure movably attached to at least one of the arms and cooperating with both of the arms to essentially close the gap between the effective end of the arms so that the hammer handle cannot pass through the gate structure without moving it inward, resilient means, sufficiently within the arm and gate structure so as to not to expose spring ends and other snags, urging the gate structure into its closed gate position, and stops on the arm and gate structure normally in contact in closed gate position against the urging of the resilient means.
 9. The hammer holder of claim 8 in which at least the support backing is made of molded resinous material.
 10. The hammer holder of claim 9 in which the hammer supporting arms as well as the support backing is molded in a unitary structure.
 11. The hammer holder of claim 10 in which the entire structure including flexible gate structure is molded in one piece, the resinous material being selected so that by making the gate structure sufficiently thin, the gate structure will provide its own resiliency and the gate structure is molded in closed position with sufficient opposition that the gate structure will not move from closed position without significant lateral force by a hammer handle inwardly into the gate exerted manually by the hammer.
 12. The hammer holder of claim 10 in which the entire structure including flexible gate structure is molded in one piece, the resinous material being selected so that by making the gate structure sufficiently thin, the gate structure will provide its own resiliency, a stop will oppose the gate structure from passing outward away from normally closed position and the gate structure is molded with a stop end on the gate structure beyond and outside the stop so that, when extra force is used to move gate structure beyond the stop into the enclose, its resiliency thereafter will tend to urge the gate stop against the fixed stop in its normally closed position and allow the gate structure to be moved by the by the force of the hammer handle passing through the gate into the enclosure. 